Thursday, October 20, 2011

Over the years, I have collected small acorns of wisdom from unexpected sources. These are the quotes from novels, from movies, from our children. These are the song lyrics, the lines from poems, the lines from plays that make themselves at home in my head. Some are mutual between myself and others in our shared histories. Others are personal mantras. In this periodic series, I'll share some with you. I hope you'll share some here too.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Spent this week exploring:
Graph-making
Irregular verbs
The takeover of the Ottoman Empire by the Russian Empire
A new Latin declension
The Song of Hiawatha
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Poetry by Langston Hughes
and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (100 times!)

Todd was off on Friday, so we decided to spend a last glorious Indian Summer day outside as a family at our favorite apple orchard. Reeves thought he's died and gone to heaven! A lovely day, topped off with a little school: taste testing, measuring, comparing/contrasting, watercolor painting, myths and legends, and history...all about the apple. (Oh, and caramel apples and apple cider for lunch!)

We've ended the weekend with the joy of the Texas Rangers! Reeves and Daddy are watching

At 12, the clock bellsSo we walk uptown.As the cars go by,And we pass the library as well,We see a tree,A ginkgo tree,And we see the leaves fall down.We keep walking up to town.We stop to restIn the warm sun of summerBut we fall asleepAnd we never make it to town.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

We have finished our first grading period and are currently two weeks into the second. Both of the big kids are really showing eagerness to complete their daily tasks, even if they would rather be doing something else. It's as if they both finally comprehend that focus and a positive attitude really does yield more time for adventures of their choice.

Embree is busy with rehearsals for her fall show with the Repertory Company, is putting her nose to the grindstone in math, and just today, asked to read ahead in her assigned reading (Old Yeller) and to work ahead in her favorite subject (Latin). I am enjoying her new found enthusiasm.

Reeves and Dad are enjoying their Father/Son book club. They just finished The Sign of the Beaver and have moved onto The Wreckers. He is enjoying his assigned reading, Rifles for Watie, and the Civil War study we are working on this semester. Reeves has really become a calming force in our daily routine. His developing maturity is revealing quite the interesting, loving young man.

Brice is NOT what I'd call a calming factor in our day. He is super at entertaining himself when I need to work with the big kids, but his play is often vivid and rambunctious. I love to sneak a peak at his intricate rail systems or dinosaur biomes and watch his imagination in action.

This week, I spoke to the Psychology of Women class at the college. I have spoken to this class annually for some time. Mostly I just tell my story as a woman. Specifically, the professor has asked that I talk about my decision to stay at home with kids and how I keep myself involved and up to date in professional venues. Because of our unique family story this conversation often includes our experiences with open adoption and homeschooling. There is always discussion about the levels openness we have with our children's birthfamilies. Oddly enough, though, the biggest concerns are those about homeschooling.

Specifically, there is always concern about the social development of our children...not surprising. Now, Todd and I have long ago put to rest the issue of socialization of our children. We have fielded that question many times. But, I try to remember that even though I find this a non-issue, and even though I have answered this question many, many times, this may be the first time this person has ever asked, "What about socialization?" Granted, it's the first thing people ask because it's the main argument against homeschooling in the mainstream. But, it's still important for me to answer. It's important, not because I need to defend our decision, I don't. It's important because this is my opportunity to educate others...to take some of the mystery out of whooo-homeschooling-whooo and address the myth of poor socialization. So I smile and explain it, again, and hope that person finds my openness and eagerness to share an invitation to learn more...to ask more.

So, we are off to our mountain retreat for a long weekend - a fall break. Much needed...highly anticipated by the grown-ups in the family. The kids would like to be going somewhere more exciting, but Todd and I are looking forward to the slow pace, the foggy mornings, the crackling fire, and the family time.

About Me

tiny arms around your neck, building with legos, rescuing homeless cats, quiet mornings in a rocker on the front porch with your love. All the rest keeps us connected to the "real world" but...SHHHHH...this is the real world for us.
We are a homeschooling family who spends the school year in Midwest and the summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina...as much of that outside as possible!